Golden Gate Bridge Tours and Activities

No traveler to San Francisco leaves without checking out the stunning views along the Golden Gate Bridge. The iconic, red-orange suspension bridge rises high above the San Francisco Bay and spans 1.7 miles (2.7 km) across, connecting the city’s northernmost point to Marin County. While it’s a major route for Bay Area commuters, the famous landmark attracts visitors from around the world with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, the Marin headlands, Alcatraz, and San Francisco.

The Golden Gate Bridge is free to walk and bike across, with a protected, shared walkway for pedestrians and cyclists. Travelers can walk, bike, or bus across the bridge; sail or cruise the waters below it; or fly high above the attraction aboard a seaplane. Visitors can take advantage of photo opportunities on either end of the bridge, enjoy a scenic stroll over the bay, or explore the Welcome Center at the San Francisco terminus to learn about the bridge’s history and shop for souvenirs. It’s possible to combine your visit with sightseeing in the city; admission to Alcatraz; a half-day tour in Sonoma and Napa Valley; or hikes in Marin or on Angel Island. Popular sights in Marin County include seaside Sausalito, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Muir Woods National Monument, home to Northern California redwood trees.

The San Francisco end of the bridge is located in the Presidio and can be reached from all parts of the city by car or public transportation. The bridge forms part of US Route 101 and California State Route 1—take any bridge-bound Golden Gate Transit bus to the Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza. By car, take the last San Francisco exit, right before the toll plaza, and park in the southeast parking lot. 

With scenic lookout points on both ends of the Golden Gate, you can pick your backdrop. Capture the bridge in its entirety on a coastal walking tour through San Francisco’s Presidio, where you’ll spot beautiful bridge views from vantage points at Crissy Field, Fort Point, and Baker Beach. To snap a photo from the north end of the bridge, choose a tour that crosses the bridge to the Marin Headlands. While Vista Point is the most popular bridge viewing spot in Marin, it  can get crowded with cars, so take a short hike toward Battery Point and Slacker Hill for sweeping views of the city.